“Before the verdict, Cottrell told the court the matter ‘set a dangerous precedent for the state’, saying the video was a form of free speech. ‘It was aimed at a tenet of a religion, not a whole class of people,’ Cottrell said.”
Indeed. If Blair Cottrell, Christopher Shortis and Neil Erikson had made a video mocking some aspect of Christianity, would they be fined $2,000 ($1,600 US) for “inciting serious contempt of Christians”? Of course not. “Victoria’s Racial and Religious Tolerance Act” is meant only for some groups, not others.
I don’t know anything about Blair Cottrell, Christopher Shortis and Neil Erikson beyond this story, but note how pejoratively ABC.net.au frames it: “On the first day of the hearing, anti-racism protesters clashed with far-right nationalists outside court, forcing police to intervene.”
The implication is that Cottrell, Shortis and Erikson are racists, as those who are protesting against them are “anti-racism protesters.” What race is Islam again? What race is beheading? I keep forgetting. Also, what does it mean that they are “far-right nationalists”? The establishment media uses the smear term “far right” for anyone who stands against jihad terror and Sharia oppression, and cheerfully conflates actual racists and anti-Semites with people who simply oppose terrorism and the inhumane aspects of Sharia. This is designed to intimidate uninformed people into fearing to support them, and frighten them into thinking it is wrong to agree with such people.
“Far-right nationalists found guilty of inciting serious contempt for Muslims after mock beheading video,” by James Oaten, ABC.net.au, September 5, 2017:
Three far-right nationalists who staged a mock beheading to protest against the building of a mosque in Bendigo in central Victoria have been found guilty of inciting serious contempt of Muslims.
Blair Cottrell, Christopher Shortis and Neil Erikson have each been fined $2,000 after they filmed the beheading of a mannequin with a toy sword outside the Bendigo council offices in 2015.
The so-called ‘Bendigo Three’ argued that their video, which was released on the United Patriot’s Front Facebook page, was an act of free speech that focused on a specific tenet of Islam.
But the magistrate disagreed, arguing the video was clearly intended to create serious contempt for or ridicule of Muslims.
“We live in a community which is inclusive and that each individual deserves the right to live their life peacefully,” Magistrate Peter Hardy said.
It is the first time a criminal charge under Victoria’s Racial and Religious Tolerance Act has been tested in court….
On the first day of the hearing, anti-racism protesters clashed with far-right nationalists outside court, forcing police to intervene.
Before the verdict, Cottrell told the court the matter “set a dangerous precedent for the state”, saying the video was a form of free speech.
“It was aimed at a tenet of a religion, not a whole class of people,” Cottrell said.
He added that the group could not control who watched the video and therefore target audience was “subjective”.
“Conclusion drawn from watching the video is out of my control,” Cottrell said.
But the prosecution said the video was clearly intended to create “serious contempt” towards Muslims, given the video’s target audience and the fact it coincided with a campaign to stop the building of a mosque.
“They’re picking up the acts of criminals … and purporting that to arouse hatred of Muslims in general,” prosecutor Fran Dalziel told court.
She added the law did not require the prosecution to establish whether people’s views changed as a result of the video, but rather to establish the intention.
“They were playing to the camera,” Ms Dalziel said.
Professor Spencer Zifcak, the former president of Liberty Victoria, said he did not expect the decision would set any significant precedent.
“It’s been well recognised for a long time that in international law and in domestic law in Australia, in relation to racial vilification, that hate speech of whatever kind ought not to be justified or covered just by saying its an example free speech,” he said….
Uriah Sheep says
It’s getting really ridiculous that anyone who loves their country, loves their culture and who want to safeguard their children’s future is slandered by accusations and being labelled as “right-wing”, “far-right”, “nazi” or “racism”!!
murad says
Wonderful. Beautiful. There is a price to pay for having democracy: Yes, democracy promoted petro-moneyed sheikhs, difficult to resist bribes, useless to have morals or conscience. No shame. Our duty is to go an vote again and again. Yes, the result will be shariah and subjugation to our muslim masters.
But we are not going to desert democracy just because it will turn us into dhimmis. jUST go back and plunge into your TRANCE : we must have never resisted the advent of islam into Europe.
Welcome muslims Europe is yours.
gravenimage says
If murad really hates democracy so much, he will be *thrilled* with Islam.
Really, what we need is not to jettison democracy and freedom, but to educate the electorate about the threat of Islam.
John Forbes says
This is another DISGRACE in the Land Down Under where the LEFTIST cowards are in Charge !
SHARIA CREEP is happening & TURNBULL & Company will not confront it !
There is a SHIA IMAM from ADELAIDE (South Australia) who came to Australia from IRAN to get away from SHARIA & The Clerics in TEHRAN !
He & another Iranian -RITA PANAHI – have repeatedly stated that the TEACHINGS of ISLAM are the problem but they do have a following but it is no where near big enough !
TURNBULL & COMPANY still come dancing out to the PODIUM – & after BREAKING WIND in FEAR – Start the OBLIGATORY PARROTING – ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE FOLLOWED BY VIOLENCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM ( ACTUALLY THEY GET THEIR COACHING FROM THE BRITS & AMERICANS – GEORGE BUSH STATED THIS RUBBISH , TONY BLAIR FOLLOWED SUIT AS DID OBAMA – & CAMERON & TERESA IS SO FRIGHTENED THAT SHE BEATS THE STAGE QUE – TO BELT OUT : ISLAM IS A GREAT FAITH ALONG WITH THE CHORUS : ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE FOLLOWED BY VIOLENCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM ! AT TIMES THERE IS A DEMENTED BISHOP – ALSO ON QUE – WHO WILL SAY WE WILL NEVER KNOW – AT WHICH POINT HE WILL STOP BECAUSE HE HAS NO IDEA – WHAT IT IS WE DO NOT KNOW !
ALL A PACK OF FRIGHTENED LIARS !!
Shane says
We have got to fight against those who would classify Islam and Muslims as a race. Are Christians and Buddhists races? Of course not. There is nothing wrong with being a Nationalist or with hating Islam. No religion should be above criticism especially the religion of jihad and misogyny, Islam.
Japetto Donatelli says
If this mock beheading is offensive to muslims then why aren’t all their violent teachings deemed offensive to us? I think it’s a good question considering all the violence committed in the name of islam lately, and by “lately” I mean the last 1400 years. Why is it that muslims suffer no repercussions for their terroristic and hateful doctrines that cause mass violence constantly? I fear this double standard is going to leave no option but civil war. Decent people aren’t going to stand for this murderous hypocrisy. I take it personally knowing that right down the street we got goons bowing to a demon that wants me dead or enslaved. It’s okay for muslims to be religiously hateful or threatening in the name of religion, but it’s a crime to perform a mock re-enactment of the real world consequence of those teachings?! It’s hard for me to respect any judiciary that thinks like this. The world is going back to the middle ages for a barbaric demon religion. It’s enough to make a person feel ashamed to be human.
Leon Degney says
Japetto Donatelli, y and me both. I have a deal f trouble trying to comprehend the mindset of the judiciary of the west.
Westman says
It appears from this court ruling that Jeff Dunham and Achmed The Dead Terrorist may not be wecome to perform in Australia and, perhaps, might be banned by the “Home Office”.
Perhaps a new puppet, Decap The Brain-dead Leftie, is needed for a revised performance.
Japetto Donatelli says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBvfiCdk-jc
Tom says
This is a prime example of the Muslim Brotherhood objective of using our political systems against us to help defeat any opposition.
The law upon which these guys were convicted sounds similar to that being pushed through in Canada, m-103 is a motion which was promoted directly by Justin Trudeau and a muslim MP and which directly targets free speech in its anti-islamophobia content, without even a definition of what islamophobia actually is.
The modus operandi of the Muslim Brotherhood is all over such laws and we must vehemently oppose them by becoming politically active and demanding MP’s or other legislators who vote on such laws vote against them. If not we must theow these people out on thei ear as soon as possible and vote in those who will reverse such blatant attempts to shut down free speech.
PRCS says
Here’s his twitter account:
https://twitter.com/blaircottrell89
I believe he will be appealing the court’s decision to a higher level court.
And a YouTube video from last year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ-tGblAk74
marina says
Those shameless muzzies spewing the same BS.
carpediadem says
The “:anti racists” were actually Socialist bigots who hate Israel and are committed Marxists. They are against the West.
Aussie Infidel says
The problem with all these debates is that no one addresses the real issue – Islam. They all discuss the pros and cons of Muslims – the people. How many ‘moderates’ there are, where people live and where they have come from, and how they all regard themselves as Australians and want to live as one big happy family. Muslims and their apologists will berate any critics as Islamophobes or bigots. But the debate never addresses the one issue that really matters – Islam, the ideology – and how it is totally incompatible with our Constitution, laws and values. They never discuss human rights in Islam (the Cairo Declaration), or its iniquitous Sharia law, or its rejection of democracy, or the commandments in the Quran for violence against non-Muslims.
Thankfully, most Muslims ignore the commands in the Quran, in the same way that most Catholics ignore the Pope’s edicts on birth control. Some Muslims have never even read the Quran or the Hadith, Sira or Sharia, and have only a superficial understanding of their own faith. However, there is always a small minority of devout psychopaths within every Muslim community who will commit violence in the name of Allah. But short of a prior psychological assessment, there is no way of knowing who is a potential jihadi and who is not.
The only way of ensuring the safety of any Western nation is to exclude all Muslims – every last one of them from our countries. And if that’s Islamophobic, then so be it! Otherwise, there will be continuing violence ad infinitum. Is this the price we are willing to pay for multi-culturalism and political correctness? I certainly am not!
dumbledoresarmy says
My fellow Aussie – “The only way of ensuring the safety of any Western nation is to exclude all Muslims – every last one of them from our countries. And if that’s Islamophobic, then so be it!”
Yes.
That is the conclusion that I, too, have reached, over the period of ten years – ten years! – that I have been reading and posting at Jihadwatch, and elsewhere, learning more and more and more about this ancient and *hellish* Religion of Blood and War, this system of polygyny, slavery and horrific brutality. Got Muslims? Got Jihad. The only way not to have Jihad – or at least, not to have Jihad waged from *within* the gates – is not to have Muslims inside the gates. It’s simple probability and statistics; precautionary principle.
I would revise your statement only by writing “any majority-Infidel nation” rather than ‘any western nation’; because Israel, India, the Philippines, Burma, Thailand are *all* suffering deadly jihads waged not only from without, but from *within*, out of the Muslim colonies entrenched in their midst.
Aussie Infidel says
DDA, Yes, we should adopt the precautionary principle – which in the case of Muslim immigration means total exclusion. While multiculturalism has worked for most immigrant groups in the past, it has failed miserably in respect to Muslims – because they believe in ‘religious apartheid’. As Blair said in the video, “Muslims exclude themselves” into Muslim-only enclaves. Muslims are forbidden to associate with Jews and Christians, or atheists like me (Quran 2:98, 4:46, 4:56, 5:51 etc). It is not possible for Muslims to assimilate into a non-Muslim society, unless they abandon their faith. But under the Sharia the penalty for apostasy is death (Reliance of the Traveller: 08.1).
I have always enjoyed your posts over the years, and couldn’t agree more that Islam is an “ancient and *hellish* Religion of Blood and War, this system of polygyny, slavery and horrific brutality.” That sums up Islamic ideology nicely. The only comment I would add is that through widespread propaganda (its doctrine of Taqiyya) Islam also seeks to deceive non-Muslims about its “hellish” nature – until it is too late and they have political control. And this is why it is so dangerous that many ‘useful idiots’ in politics and academia continue to believe that Islam is a ‘religion of peace’.
Non-Muslims should make no mistake, the Islamic imperative is to ‘conquer the world for Allah’. Muslims don’t emigrate to other countries to integrate and become Australians, Americans, Canadians or whatever. Muslims come to spread the Islamic Ummah throughout the ‘Dar-al-Harb’ and subjugate all other religions and cultures; and eventually, impose Sharia law on everyone.
As the Muslim Brotherhood said in its Explanatory Memorandum On the General Strategic Goal for the Group In North America 5/22/1991: Section 4. “The process of settlement is a ‘Civilization-Jihadist Process’ with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.” For those who wish to read more, go to:
https://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/20-an-explanatory-memorandum-on-the-general.pdf
Islam is a criminal ideology which has no place in a civilized society.
PRCS says
“The problem with all these debates is that no one addresses the real issue – Islam. They all discuss the pros and cons of Muslims – the people.”
Agree fully.
After the young woman made the nonsense statement that Muslims are supposed to follow the laws of the land in which they live, I do wish Mr. Cottrell had asked for her opinion of Islam’s barbaric punishments in Muslim nations.
Demsci says
“We live in a community which is inclusive and that each individual deserves the right to live their life peacefully,” Magistrate Peter Hardy said.//
Magistrate Hardy enforces the law of Australia and therefore only looks at Australia. But I like to argue that “Australia is not an Island” but only in the sense that people in Australia, and especially the Muslims, are not living with only Australian connections, influences.
It’s a good bet I think that Muslims in Australia think international, are often in contact with their “Ummah”, especially in the countries they originally came from.
And from there there seems to be originating much hatred and contempt for the infidel Australians, with that intention.
To me the magistrate is extremely myopic looking only to protect the Muslim minority in Australia, which really is first and foremost part of a big worldwide group of 1,6 billion Muslims. And he can’t influence the Muslim side one bit, so he also should not try to discourage the opposition to Islam, as long as it is non-violent.
JMB says
Australia has always enjoyed free speech, robust debate and has a tradition of street marches and demonstrations for many causes and issues, everything from protecting wildlife, stopping developers and even gay rights. But protest of demonstrate against either gays or Islam in this country and you are in trouble, BIG trouble. They are the new protected species.
Jason says
What is needed now is to mass produce mock beheading videos, prominently displaying verse 47:4. A massive campaign of civil disobedience to make it clear to those like Mr Hardy that freedom of speech is more important than safe spaces.
No Fear says
Note that this occurred in Victoria and the prosecution is under a state, not federal, law. There is no NSW state law regarding religious vilification. I have been wondering who will be the first to be prosecuted under this Victorian law and now I know.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Dear Magistrate Peter Hardy,
Please call the police and have yourself charged with “inciting contempt and ridicule” because you have just incited me to hold you in the highest contempt. I am laughing myself silly with the absurdity of your inexcusable stupidity.
And professor Zifcak – is there no defense of ‘truth’ in your country’s hate speech laws? If there isn’t then Australia is no better than France and Germany (or any other European basket case), and can only claim (falsely) to have the rights to free speech (…. nay unpopular speech).
Are any of you overpriced ninnies aware that the true purpose of hate speech laws is to protect identifiable groups from incitement to genocide and immanent violence – not contempt or ridicule?
lauren says
in my suburb Lakemba we just had council elec tions,all nominess were muslim, in lakembastan my daughter is sent home for not covering & most of this advice is by burqa women with hijabi toddlers…guess its true the burqas are better in lakembastan
dumbledoresarmy says
Lauren
document it. You wrote – “in lakembastan my daughter is sent home for not covering & most of this advice is by burqa women with hijabi toddlers”.
Write to the *Education* Ministers – State *and* Federal. Kick up a stink. If other Infidel parents have suffered similar mohammedan bullying, get together and all write.. and then all go together in person to the Education Ministers, and *demand* that the bullying be stopped. Demand that Muslim *immigration* be stopped, NOW. And don’t let them shut you up. Send them a letter every month, or every week. On paper.
Immigration Minister. Write to the Prime Minister. Write to the stupid Opposition Leader. Rub their noses in what the Muslims are doing to non-Muslim people like yourself. Then they will at least have NO EXCUSE. They cannot claim they didn’t know that Muslims were bullying and pushing around the non-Muslis, all the while whining and squealing and pretending to be victims.
Yoda Dunbar says
In this current World we live, Muslimes can say and do whatever they want, whereas we cannot, they hold signs, behead those who insult their pedo leader, they hold signs, Islam will dominate the World, they have heaps of videos of beheadings, all that is ok, and if we object it is Islamophobia or racist. If we do anything, we are arrested and condemned by our Greens and liberal lefties who for some reason adore Muslimes and want to bring tens of thousands of the Rohingya terrorists to Oz
Wake up Aussies we are under attack and our media and Gov’t is complicit
gravenimage says
Sharia Australia: Three men fined $1,600 each for “inciting serious contempt of Muslims” with mock beheading video
………………..
So now opposing *beheadings* is considered contemptuous of Muslims?
Does that mean we have to welcome Muslims hacking off our heads–and the heads of our loved ones–lest we be deemed “Islamophobic”?
gord morris says
in canada they are trying the same crap ,,a dr. was charged for reporting a botched case of FGM,parents were arrested for opposing a mosque and islamic courses in schools ,,a reporter was arrested for reporting on the hate filled speech in the mosques calling for death and violence to ALL non muslims ,,the truly horrific thing is these terrorists have the backing of federal money strait from the prime ministers office ,,where does it end ??
PRCS says
Well, as filthy unbelievers, of course we are!
Native jo says
We need a rich guy who pays for these fines when this happens.
Anne Smith says
No what is needed is better representation in court by more competent barristers who can clearly demonstrate the absurdity of the charges and the stupidity of the magistrate (who is only a fairly minor court official in any case).
PRCS says
I saw one of Cottrell’s post conviction videos the other day.
He fully intends to appeal the case to a higher level court—one which has to consider a greater range of legal issues.
ScottM says
Islam is a just a CANCER – these guys are heroes.
tim gallagher says
I agree totally, ScottM. I admire any people with the courage to attack barbaric Islam head on, whether it’s people like these men or people like Robert Spencer, who hammers home the truth about evil Islam over and over, hoping to wake people up. And doesn’t it take plenty of courage. I have zero respect for Islam or its adherents. Muslims endlessly display their hate and contempt for our far better, more civilised culture, so I can only say that I loathe every aspect of Islam and believe it should be shown no respect whatsoever. The respect idiotic magistrates and others show for Islam is all one way. But, the one and only answer is to keep all Muslims out of all non-Muslim nations. The only issue is how to achieve this. I think I might have to try to move to Czech Republic or Hungary or Poland, the only countries with sensible policies towards Islam. I saw a story here in Australia that our idiotic Greens and Labor politicians in Australia now want to bring “persecuted” Muslims in from Burma. They’re always looking to bring more trouble in. They’ll do anything for the Muslim vote it seems. Even destroy the whole bloody country. Islam is indeed such a cancer. Will our politicians and media ever wake up?
dumbledoresarmy says
From the article – “We live in a community which is inclusive and that each individual deserves the right to live their life peacefully.” Quoth Magistrate Peter Hardy.
And what will this fool, so eager to protect the pooor, pooor, ppoor persecuted little Muswims, do, when – WHEN, not IF, – a Muslim or group of Muslims does to one or more Aussie infidels what two converts to Islam did to the priest in France **in a church, a country church, in the middle of the Mass** and to the off-duty soldier, Lee Rigby, in the streets of London? Will he sternly tell the Muslim Mobsters that “each individual deserves the right to live their life peacefully, without having to fear being seized and beheaded by some allahu-akbaring Muslim, in the public street/ in the daycare centre/ in the primary school/ in the synagogue/ in the church”?
If he’s so offended by a mock beheading carried out as a *warning*, in an attempt to raise the alarm, by people who correctly condemn beheading as a cruel and barbaric practice, perhaps he should be politely told to watch a few *real* beheadings of hapless, bound and captive Infidels – e.g. those brave martyr Copts who were mass-beheaded on the beach in Libya not so long ago – as proudly videoed and circulated by .. MUSLIMS, and gloatingly enjoyed by many, many Muslim viewers, worldwide. And then he might realize that fear of being beheaded by Muslims, and a desire to *warn* fellow Infidels about this nasty practice of jihad-waging Muslims, is perfectly *real* and *rational*.
What will Peter Hardy do if a group of Muslims – perhaps even females among them – seize little Infidel children in a daycare centre or kindergarten, and behead them, and video the proceedings, and chant allahu-akbar while they are doing it?? What will he do if one fine day a Muslim nurse – or doctor – goes through a hospital nursery calmly slitting the throats of infidel babies whilst chanting allahu-akbar? Will he remember how he wagged his finger so disapprovingly at a couple of people who tried a bit of crude street theatre to try to warn their fellow Infidels that gruesome beheadings are part and parcel of Islam?
UNCLE VLADDI says
… found guilty of inciting serious contempt of Criminals.